College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Linfield University

McMinnville, OR 1,642 Undergrads 75.0% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$63,825
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$27,341
After Aid
Median Earnings
$78,638
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$27,341
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$78,638
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate75.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients28.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS86.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
87.9%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$657k
+$260k
+$172k
Median Cost$27k/yr
+$558k
+$162k
+$74k
Full Cost$64k/yr
+$427k
+$30k
-$58k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
Median Cost$27k/yr
41
75%
Full Cost$64k/yr
Never
-25%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return44%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-50%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Certificates

Accounting and Related Services
CertCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$44,170
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$28,000
Earnings (5yr)
$67,388
Lifetime Value Added
+$842
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,884
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,273
Lifetime Value Added
+$68k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$68,822
Lifetime Value Added
+$12k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$89,095
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,508
Lifetime Value Added
-$368k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$99,698
Lifetime Value Added
+$243k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,182
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,744
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$104,701
Lifetime Value Added
+$280k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$334k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$53,671
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.